Unfinished Thoughts
by BossaNovaBaby24
Summary: Set after episode "Unfinished Business" so spoilers for that episode and beginning of Season 3. Laura checks out Bill's injuries, and they both want closure on their time on New Caprica. Adama/Roslin


**Authors Note**

**Ok next one up. Set straight after "unfinished business"**

Bill heaved himself down on a chair at the table, grimacing in pain. His quarters seemed so much farther from the boxing ring than usual, but then again he never had to walk that distance in so much pain.

Cottle moved around Adama with ease, muttering darkly to himself. Every so often, he'd stop and regard Bill with stern eyes.

"No chance that you couldn't have proved your point some other way Admiral?" He asked harshly, placing his fingers on Adama's chest. Pain shot through Bill, but he kept his face impassive, with just a grunt to tell Cottle that it had hurt.

"Broken ribs," He looked at Bill accusingly, "You'll need to come with me to the life station I'm afraid. With your age, its going to take frakkin' ages to heal."

As Cottle worked on, noting down every injury, Bill's eyes wandered. He was drawn to the corner of his quarters. Sitting behind his desk was the President. She appeared calm and poised, but he knew better. It was her political mask. _Her hands give it away_, he thought amused, _she clasps tightly when she's nervous. _

He watched as her knuckles slowly turned white. She refused to look at him, instead focusing her gaze on Cottle as he moved around. She was mad at him, that much he figured, but he couldn't fathom the reason why.

A knock at his hatch door drew Bill out of his reverie. A marine hurriedly opened the door, and immediately stopped in his tracks. He didn't expect to find himself faced with both the leaders of the fleet and the doctor at once.

"Major Cottle," he said formally, not showing his surprise at the audience, "They are requesting you at ringside again. Kara Thrace and Lee Adama have quite a few injuries that will need attention."

Cottle swore vehemently and stalked towards the door. He turned around and faced Adama.

"I expect to see you in the Life Station in about an hour Admiral. No excuses." He then faced Roslin, "And you young lady, I expect you to make sure he keeps his schedule."

Laura smiled slowly, nodding to appease Cottle. The doctor returned the smile briefly, before leaving the room, muttering something sounding suspiciously like "frakkin' Adamas."

As the hatch closed behind them, Bill let out a sigh he'd been holding. His side and face ached, but he wore it, as a medal for his grievances. Laura lifted her head from staring at her hands, and her gaze met Bill's levelly.

"Why?"

Bill didn't look away, but neither did he attempt to answer her question. He managed to take a perfectly good boxing match, a little fun, and turn it into something depressing. The President was a boxing fan; she just wanted to watch the match. _And I had to go ruin it, _he thought to himself bitterly.

Laura pulled her gaze away with a sigh, and he noticed how her eyes turned steely. President-mode, he suspected, as she moved towards him.

"Did you mean what you said at the end of the fight, Admiral?" Her use of his title made his heart ache, and it wasn't from the boxing. She was drawing away from him, and he didn't like it.

"Yes." He stated gruffly. He shifted slightly, and winced with pain. Before he could cover it up, Laura sighed and her façade seemed to crumple.

"Move up Bill," She said, perching herself next to him, resting on the table. She proceeded to wet a cloth left by Cottle, and slowly drew it across the cuts on his face. He grimaced as the hot water went into his cuts, but over all it was soothing. He found himself relaxing as the cloth swept over his face.

"Was it really necessary?"

"Yes."

"Cut the crap Bill," She said sharply, wringing out the water into a tub beside her. She leaned over and picked up the first aid kit, "Why did you do it?"

He sat silently, his hands clasped together. He couldn't explain why. Not to her anyway. He had so much guilt inside of him, over New Caprica, that by getting beaten, not only did he prove the lesson of fighting enemies, but also he gained some closure. He no longer felt as much guilt for leaving them, for letting them settle when he knew it was not safe.

"I had to. I let you all go down there. Let some of you face your deaths." His voice was steady, but quiet. Lifting his gaze, Bill saw that Laura was shaking her head imperceptibly, brooding.

"I'm not going to pretend to understand why you did it," She said slowly, as if trying to make sense of what she was saying herself, "but I can only hope that it's out of your system. This overwhelming urge you have for torturing yourself with guilt is not good for the fleet Bill."

_Or me, _she added silently in her thoughts, before slowly standing up.

"We should go see Cottle I think," Laura said, the corners of her mouth rising slowly, "let's hope that Lee and Kara haven't been taken to the Life Station in a matchbox."

Bill chuckled, his side stabbing with pain, but he didn't mind. Seeing Laura laugh was something special, and no amount of pain was going to stop him from enjoying it. Silence soon settled on them, and Bill rose from his seat.

Laura took his arm for support, much like he had for her when she had cancer. He remembered that day. He had kissed her. A friendly kiss of course. Nothing more could happen between the President and Admiral. But what about Bill and Laura?

His memory then swept to New Caprica. Sitting next to her and the Alluvial Deposits, lying on a rack, looking at the stars, with her resting against him. _She did look good in that red dress, _He silently thought.

She was watching him with interest. He looked deep in thought, though she did not know what. Her mind wandered back to the boxing match. He didn't want to win; he never planned on it, and settled for nothing but defeat. She was angry at him for knowing he'd get hurt, knowing that she couldn't help him. Laura had to stand at the ropes and watch.

When the bell rang for a quick break, she wasted no time in checking to see if he was alright. If any officer seemed to notice her rush to check him out, not wasting time with the Chief of the other contestants, then they didn't speak out.

A voice interrupted her during her thoughts, and she was surprised to see Bill standing uncertainly, in front of her. She kept her hold on his arm, and guided him slowly to the door.

"Laura?" He asked quietly, letting her move him towards the hatch. She slowed to a stop, and looked at Bill expectantly, a frown on her face.

"Yes?"

"Do you regret New Caprica?"

She wanted to immediately say "yes". She wanted to admit that everyday she was angry at herself for deciding to settle. But the look in Bill's eyes made her pause. He was staring at her with concern and worry in his eyes. _He doesn't mean settling, _Laura realised, _he must mean the time we spent together._

"No Bill," She said steadily, her gaze never lifting from his. He visibly relaxed and a smile graced his lips. Smiling in response, she then said;

"My only regret is that it didn't last longer."

"Maybe someday it will," He said softly, making her look at him in surprise. She stared at him, open-mouthed for a few seconds, before placing a hand on his chest.

"I hope so Bill, I really do." She then supported him again. They walked to the life station in silence, occasionally glancing at each other.

Before she left him at Cattle's mercy, Laura gripped his arm. His attention caught, Bill turned towards her curiously. Her eyes showed amusement.

"I have another regret however." She said, her expression serious.

Bill just gazed at her questioningly.

"I regret that I didn't tell you when I had the chance ... I really liked the moustache."

He chuckled gruffly, which caused her to smile fondly at him. With that, and a slightly tighter grip on his arm, she left him, to ponder the memories, and think of the future.


End file.
